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Japanese PM speaks for dialogue with Russia but supports sanctions

"The duration of the sanctions against Russia will depend on whether the country observes the Minsk agreements in full," deputy secretary general of the Japanese cabinet said
G7 Summit working dinner in Elmau, Germany EPA/MICHAEL KAPPELER/POOL
G7 Summit working dinner in Elmau, Germany
© EPA/MICHAEL KAPPELER/POOL

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, June 8. /TASS/. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke at the G7 summit for continuation of dialogue with Russia but supported sanctions against Moscow over the situation around Ukraine, deputy secretary general of the Japanese cabinet Hiroshige Seko said at a briefing on Monday.

"The duration of the sanctions against Russia will depend on whether the country observes the Minsk agreements in full," Seko said.

"We believe it is important to continue dialogue with Russia, including on regional problems," he said.

Russia has constantly dismissed allegations that Moscow could in any way be involved in destabilization in Ukraine.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an association of economically developed countries consisting of Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and Japan. Its key goals are to seek solutions for global political and social problems. In 1976-1997 the group existed in the form of G7.

After Russia joined G7, the association got the name of the Group of Eight (G8). In March 2014, as a result of the events in Ukraine and the ensuing crisis in Russia-West relations, the organization decided to return to the G7 format.

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia is "not clinging to the G8 format." "The G8 is an informal club, no one issues membership cards, no one may expel anyone from there by definition. If our Western partners believe the format is outdated, let it be like that. We are not clinging to it," he said.